Step By Step 一歩ずつ
by O'Mahari Amelia Oninja
Summary: Dear Readers, I am re-writing this story a tiny bit. Only by changing words and themes. I am putting this note everywhere you can possibly see it due to the fact it's had many readers and the plot is to change a little. Very sorry for the inconvenience. But hopefully I can make a promise that I will make it with all of our favorite characters and even more!
1. Chapter One

**_Dear Readers, I am re-writing this story a tiny bit. Only by changing words and themes. I am putting this note on every chapter so wherever you are in the story you can all see ^^;... But I will make sure the story stays up! It will change a bit, but the story and characters will be there! _**

* * *

Kamiki Village. Is there a definition? Not exactly, but there are five senses involved to create one. There are so many things to see, hear, touch, taste, and smell. You can walk in, and automatically your eyes will be overwhelmed by the sight of all of the pink cherry blossoms the villagers call, Sakura, flying around the whole village, for there were many trees that grew there. Near the end of the day, you can bask in the evening sun, which around five o'clock begins to peak right above the acme of the mountains that surround the village. You could hear the noise of Mr. Orange's dancing music, and the singing of Mrs. Orange as she did her laundry. "Such wonderful village elders they are- so very loyal." The villagers would say to each other in the could touch the sparkly and silky river running by into Lake Harami and feel the soft petals of the Sakura flying by. You could taste the taste of Mrs. Orange's cherry cakes, and if she offered, Mushi's mother's rich and spicy turnip stew she made from items in her garden, which she attended to so often and frequently. And lastly, there are so many things you can smell, like the smell of sake brewer Kushi's homemade and famous sake.

Kushi continued to tend to her sake, as she polished the rice. It was a tedious task, full of work and care. But she enjoyed it, therefore it made the work go by fast, and this created a motivated feeling within her. But not only did she work for her customers, she was a hard-working wife who was constantly busy at home, as well as at work. After a long day outside, Kushi put all of her polishing tools away and decided to return home.

She packed her things, neatly folding and arranging all of her towels and equipment used for brewing inside of her brightly colored silk bag. She huffed and puffed away, not realizing that she was more tired than usual. Normally girls her age, around her mid to late 20's, had the experience of cleaning, cooking, and doing tiresome amounts of work that required so much energy. But, Kushi was different from most girls. She was a brightly educated girl, with talents beyond imaging. She could tell you where and what something was, and where it came from, if the 'it' happens to be a location or Japanese-related source. Even so, she never experienced any adventure before, not one like nearly being slaughtered by the eight-headed serpent, Yamato no Orochi, or so called Orochi. It was only 10 months ago since that fearful day of terror and shock from not only Kushi but some villagers who will always have a story to tell from it, lamenting the day of the sacrifice, but also celebrating it. Even so, with that said, Kushi's faults were slim to none. It was seldom she would not being willing to do or help someone with something, her kindness always prevailed. But one fault stood in her midst, One she couldn't emerge from knowing... It seemed like only yesterday she had been born and here she was in fields, working like her mother taught her to. But her problem made everything seem hopeless and almost scary to herself.

Problems in life make things harder. It is different being a child, not knowing the consequences, only the action, and from a child to a teenager, who know the consequences yet are too focused on being the funniest of the group, and care not of punishment to do the certain action. In Kushi's young age, life's problems consisted of marriage, money, work, and family. Now there was not a clear problem with Kushi's marriage, nor money, nor work... but family was a noun Kushi had to dust out of her head to remember what it was like. Kushi examined her family while walking to her wooden home, which she now shared with Susano. Her elation was high as she brought herself from the fields to prepare her husband a meal. She was a servant to him when he came home, she was to polish his shoes, feed him, clean his clothes, and so forth.

It was around 7 o'clock at night and it was bright enough for her to see in the early spring time. She cooked the supper of salmon Susano had purchased days ago. And the creativity Kushi put into her cooking was inevitable. It was something she could easily distract herself from her curiosity with. She prepared the famous Japanese dish, sashimi sushi with leeks and sweet potatoes. Salmon was loosing its season; soon it would flock off to another river where more salmon could reproduce and soon return back to Lake Harami to be caught by the young fisher boy, Kokari. Kokari was greatly trained by his father, Kurude, in the ways of fishing, and especially with his dog companion, Ume. He was a wonderful boy with only minor childish flaws, one of which was simply being a coward at times. But Kushi remembered that her one love, Susano, was once a coward like Kokari, but he grew older in compassion and strength; and one day, she knew, Kokari would prove himself to be as well-known fishermen and would travel to many unknown island and makes many different discoveries. As she thought about young Kokari, and who he would become, she tried her best to "honor" the delicate salmon. It was most important to make the fish (that some Japanese believed to be a person in the after-life) honored in it's life by being eaten with delicacy. Most of the time it helped to close her eyes, but if she tried to do it like a professional, she would only end up drawing blood by mistake. Therefore she took precaution by watching where her fingers were when she sliced the salmon. But all of the peace was interrupted when there was a loud door slam, which was none other than who she had been waiting for.

She found herself at her home and opened the door to see Susano tired and perplexed during his working days. He never gained the heart to enter with drama or scenic impression. He was more the type who entered in and out and found away to get around a friendly "how are you". But Susano's loneliness made himself seem more understanding rather than be on the popular side of town, know everyone, and never give a care about how bad days go.

Meeting his glance, she bowed as he did himself. Susano's clothes were torn and beaten. His eyes were sound and dreary, his Shinto ties were knotted and his hands were shaking in the lowness of sugars he had wasted away. Everything about Susano was Shinto, which is a lesser religion of a sort, the polytheistic type. Included in the belief of IzaNagi and IzaNami, and the belief of Buddha and shrine gods and goddess of nature. His appearance, was clearly formed in the imagery of Shinto, his 'ties' on the side of his head and the way he cuts and grows his hair was like a Shinto man of his age. Some Shintoist, like Susano, tend to make themselves look older than they are to look older, sophisticated, and like a leader. But although he contained the features, inside his heart was a hard-working one after realizing his true hobbies. He was less of a greedy and selfish man, but something pounding in his heart that made him wish he was filled more with the other things in life.

But a larger secret was inside of her as she tended to her husband and followed through everything she needed to. Her cheerful smile escalated into something that became noticeable. The average restless Susano cheerfully smiled back and asked, "Why is my wife so full of joy during these days of harvest?" Susano said as he watched her chop leeks and sweet potatoes in a brown dish. Kushi hadn't heard Susano for she was so overcome with joys and happiness of her hard working days finished. Not only was it the joy of bringing her husband home money and food filled with color and nutrients, but the next was to come. Before she knew it, Kushi had fallen on her knees, sick to the floor.

Shocked with the swing of change, Susano raced to her aid. "There is a kicking in my recess." Kushi coughed as Susano brought his arm over to hers.

"What is this that you mean?" Susano confusedly asked.

"I have not bled from my under-parts in months, and my stomach has become swollen. I am more tired than usual and my eating has become over the usual." She panted and smiled back at him.

"I believe that there is life inside of me. I am carrying a child in my vitals."


	2. Chapter Two

Eagerness was something flowing through Kushi's veins as she thought about Susano's reaction. Unfortunately it was not what she had prepared her mind and heart for at the time. Susano wasn't sure what he was hearing, if it was correct, or how to utter a reply. "Carrying a child? Oh no, didn't you inform me of this already? Ahaha! I don't believe it! Kushi you are not pregnant, you can't be! I never-" Susano stopped. He remembered months ago when Kushi and he had to say farewell to Kuni, the boy they had taken in as their son from nearly drowning in an ocean. And on that day when Susano left his "son" Kushi mentioned, "We will wait here for his return, all three of us..."

"I-I never..." Susano examined her stomach because it all seemed a bit oblique to him, not knowing anything of a woman or of what their private features were. Susano was not excited or emotional, but rather annoyed.

"You are sure of this matter? For I remember not when I laid with you and told you I wished for a child..." He tried to sound relaxed and calm, why'll Kushi only frowned and confusedly replied.

"A man and a woman sometimes do not agree on the matter love before they do." She shyly proclaimed, "I do not recall us making a decision or agreeing on a child as well, but if it has been sake that has drunken us or a night of lust than we have had between each other, even so, I am pregnant." Kushi lifted herself from Susano's arms and was despised of his selfishness and asked.

"You are very much large, but perhaps it is a sickness or a tumor..." He tried to tell her otherwise as Kushi hesitated, bit her small lips, and looked around. "No, it has moved, it has kicked, it has been three months I have felt this sickness." Kushi replied as she began to go back to her supper, finding it was the only way to avoid her husband's agitation. But he asked, "Why have you waited this long to tell me so?" He said angrily.

"I assume that you really would want me in these fields... that you'd care enough to help me... I didn't think you would react so upset." Kushi tried extremely hard not to cry, but she couldn't help herself. Tears like rain dripping off the tip of a pink and rosy tree was like a tear dripping from Kushi's rosy cheeks.

A long silence elevated the room. Most writers would describe the scene by saying, "You could hear a pin drop". Kushi's mind fluttered in all directions, with a mixture of fear, sadness, and convulsive reactions to every move he made. She assumed the worst- either Susano would: tell her to get rid of the baby, surgery to remove it, have her cords tied, or all together he would leave her.

"Never- Never in my whole entire life did I say I wanted children! Not one time!" Susano paced for moments, saying the same thing, "I never even..." Kushi thought how she wished she had told herself the baby never existed and it was only a sickness that kept her from the fields. She wished she never said anything, then the thought of running away occurred in her mind. Running away was the only hope Kushi felt that she had. But then, she remembered what stronger wives did. They never lived in fear, nor did they run away from it. But, her courage was taken away by harsh words and the pounding on her eardrums telling her that she was to hold her tongue if she wanted to speak ever again.

"Now money will be lost because you will be inside wallowing away! I will be the laborer of this household!" Susano sobbed as Kushi grew angry herself.

"Does not a husband wish for a child to share his knowledge with? Do you wish for me even in my elderly days to make you money? Do you wish to use me as a toy and not take responsibility for you actions?" Kushi grew angered, but Susano did not soften to her emotions.

"Go downstairs! A wife does not speak to their husband out of line as such! Leave me to my precautions, scum!" Susano ran to his room as Kushinada placed his food before him and stomped in their basement. Upstairs, Susano sat down on his futon and mumbled to himself.

"Children, what a waste. A child is nothing but an extra mouth to feed, trouble-making, embarrassing... They will bring shame to my name, they are too needy and take away what _was once a life to live into a chore to do_! I cannot take care of this baby, I am afraid!" Susano pressed his hands to his face and shook in the fear of hearing cries and screams of infants in his ears. Pulling himself forward he though of Kushi and the matters with her.

"How dare she? Dare she tell me whether I work or not? Eat and sleep, talk and act? This I think not. She is a harlot. Someone else has given her a child. I have never impregnated her, I have never, I will never... Though she is beautiful I will use her when right and receive her work's money, because she is mine." Susano slept somewhat soundly with these things tucked away in the back of his mind. But Kushi returned from her sobbing in the basement, she lay the pitiful and dark basement that made sadness become something she could feel in the inside and out. Her melancholy drew her out of it, hearing Susano snore and figured he was asleep long in the night. It was her chance to go up to the soothing futon, for laying on a hard floor began to sting her and the baby inside. Therefore up the stairs she crawled, and figured Susano had been drunk and hoped his mind would release the evil that it had infected in his heart. But she had spoken too soon, for as she lay asleep next to him, the morning came quickly. The quickness of the night made her feel unrested and feverish. Susano had gained his heart back over sleep, but had lost it again when he found her late for her working in the fields.

"Must you be so weak lying in bed with such a burden?" Susano rudely asked as he poured her water. Kushi did her best to smile, only until Susano had formed a question that set her to smokes.

"Who is it you have slept with besides myself?" Susano watched her eyes as they sunk and tears washed her feverish color away.

"Oh, why must you treat me like I am a concubine? I have only slept with you, I am nothing like another woman you have seen in those streets." Kushi sobbed as Susano sighed and changed into his robes he had bought with the rich amounts of money Kushi had been providing.

"Can I not rest and relax like you? Only so many months and I will take care of this baby with our money!" Kushi breathed heavily as Susano ignored her and took his riches elsewhere.

"I am going to the city for sometime, I will be home in some days... For now, I will bring the village elder to take care of your needs. Do not ask me where I am to go, for I do not know. But I promise I'll be home soon and will think about this matter. I will close the shop for a week until then." Susano had the courage to kiss his sick wife on the head and bid her farewell as she lay hot and sweaty, panting as she drank her water like a dog. For the time, Kushi and Susano felt that they were at peace with one far from the other.


	3. Chapter Three

Stepping outside in the warm heat of the summer, Susano brought himself to go out to the city to ponder his thoughts without causing trouble with Kushi, for he knew she would tell the villagers of her issues with him and the fact he called her a harlot would cause an uproar in the village. No one would come to their sake shop, no one would even dare to look into the eyes of the two, therefore Susano's money-making business would end. To avoid the problems that possibly could have arouse, Susano walked to Kusa Village on horseback from a horse he had bought with 3681 yen. Kusa Village was bright and quiet, and stayed cool during the summer months with the wind blowing high up in the mountains on which the little village settled. Susano had nothing to do with himself, for he was tired from the journey, so he took himself to a noodle shop to eat breakfast.

Inside the shop were people who were mainly of his kind- Soldiers, warriors, strong men, and beautiful woman. "Many beautiful woman..." Susano watched each one dance with their fans and flowers. Each one had a skinny body, and fair white skin that seemed like silk. He couldn't help but sit himself close to the woman who danced, and it caught the eye of an old man who saw Susano's robe and the choises of food and drink he chose to partake. The man slid himself to Susano nad sat infron of him.

"It seems you are buying that which is expensive. You must be a rich fellow!" The old man grinded his teeth as Susano smiled.

"I quite am a rich one! I have money, land, and a good sake shop down in Kamiki Village!" Susano proudly said to the man who snickered and began to try to tempt Susano with his money. The man seemed to look old, weary, and desperate with need of money which Susano was not aware of as he boasted to the man about how much he made in a year. The opportunity for the man was great so he began to speak wisely.

"These woman here, I see you look at them much." The man began, Susano only laughed and smiled.

"They are quite beautiful ones." The man took Susano's reply in a very unique way and pointed to one of the woman that had rested herself for dancing. She had long black hair that was silken and rich that was cut to her rear and had bangs to her eye-brows. Her eyes were a hazel-brown and finely slanted with a thin nose and soft and tiny pink lips. Her body was skinny and rich with color and nutrients. She was healthy and soft, Susano followed the man's hand as he pointed.

"This woman, her name is Tsubaki, she is quiet, loyal, and obedient. Anything you need she is able to give you. Not only does she work hard, she is quite the lover."

"Oh no...I..." Susano thought of his marriage and how Kushi had become pregnant. He would need someone to work and labor in the fields why'll Kushi was inside and sheltered. This thought had never come to him in the first place, but the man tempted him more.

"She will be a hard worker in your fields!" The old man shouted happily as Susano reached in his pocket.

"She is far too pretty to work in the fields. I will be the one to work outside, she will stay inside and keep my home clean and the ones in my home entertained." Susano pulled his yen out from his pocket.

"I will give you 96687 yen, it is equivalent to $1000 dollars for her." Susano placed the green and gold coins on the table as the man happily took them.

"It is a deal! She is yours my rich friend! Tsubaki, come forth to your new master whom you will call Lord Susano." The man led Tsubaki to Susano, who bowed in his presence. "I will make it my will to serve yours." She said softly as Susano took her hand and brought her towards him.

"Worry not, for you will be taken care of in the home of mine in the village!" Susano took her soft hand and had her wrap her skinny arms around his chest riding home on the horse. The old man had fondled through his riches, for he was a content fellow with the riches he had received.

Susano felt as if the experience was all but quickened. Taking this woman did not take thought, and he felt the slightest of guilt reside in his heart. Kushi's reaction, he knew, would be her tears flowing from her eyes and her heart only but pounding in the sadness of her mourning. But Susano had the plans and ambitions that Tsubaki was only to work and take Kushi's place only for work. He intended her to clean, cook, and perform other tasks, why'll he work labor in the fields for his money. Another quick experience he had gambled and it was something he could never take away. Once Tsubaki was his servant, she would be his responsibility. But yet, this only reminded him of his richness and how he was the wealthiest man in the northern parts. Proudly he would bring her home and care not of Kushi's emotions for the months of the pains in her vitals. He would make sure Tsubaki would tend to her and everything in the home and prove her valuableness and especially her price.

* * *

The two quielty rode home on the horse, daring not to say a word to each other, for Tsubaki was all but saddened at that she needed to leave her sisters. But the trip was tiring for the old horse, so they stopped for water in a fresh lake by Agata Forest. It was a quiet place where only the campers, fishermen, and hunters lived therefore nothing was there to disturb them, or so they had thought it so. The black and brown horse who Susano had not named had drank its amount while Tsubaki made it known to the two that she needed a cup to drink from instead of her hands.

"If I hadn't known she were to be so picky..." Susano mumbled to himself, then came to aid her in seating herself on the horse. Following the minute, a stranger had come to their presence. A tall young man who had a straight face and long golden hair that was farther than Tsubaki's. He too seemed rich like Susano, for he had worn the silks and shoes of those men who did not train their bodies, but their mind. The stranger came forward to Susano, making it known that he was a lost man.

"Excusez-moi, the two of you, but the strange man I am in these parts. I live in a rich palace in the city of Sei-An, which is extremely south from here. Do you know of a place I am to stay?" The man asked Susano.

"Who is this that I, the great and mighty Susano, and speaking to?" Susano proudly boasted to the golden-haired man. The man came closer and came forth to Susano bodily.

"I am the Master Prophet and rich landowner, scholar of the south, whatever I am to be called, UshiWaka-san. Or you may refer to me as un ami, Waka." Waka had proclaimed back to Susano's boldness. Feeling that a challenge was issued he jumped off his horse and came to Waka's attention.

"Do you not see the maiden I have on this fine beast? I may not live in any palace! But I do live in the richest village here in this area! I have this servant, a wife, a shop, and a rice garden! And I have the money, I plan to build the most that there is to create on this settlement!" Susano nearly shouted feeling bragged upon.

"Vraiment? If you have the land and money, may I not be a burden against you and stay a night or two in this home in which you feel so rich as to stay? Only for this night and one more, I promise, enormement..." Waka asked. Susano had glanced at his horse and his servant as she giggled at the two grown men's bragging to one another. Susano had wanted to show what he found to be, the rich fool, what he had and that he had more than any city-folk.

"No matter how educated you are, I have quite the beds, teas, foods, plants, and anything you are in need of. Even shampoos, clean water, warmth, cool, anything- I will supply you good sir! Come ride on this horse with my servant and I will walk for you!" Susano some-what sarcastically said as his motioned his arms forward to the horse. Waka laughed some, and hiked himself on top.

"Nous allons voir..." Waka laughed and was guided to Kamiki Village as he said to himself, " Oh Susano-san, you still have the greediest heart even so. And you have bought a woman I see, what has he done this for I wonder... Only you know Amaterasu... only you mon amour..."


End file.
